Burner for liquid fuel



Jan. 9, 1940. J, L BREES 4 2,186,004

1 BURNER'FOR LIQUID FUEL 0 l y ,covoon im Patented Jan. 9, 1940 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE BURNER FOR LIQUID FUEL James L. Breese, Santa Fe,N. Mex., assigner to Oil Devices, Santa Fe, N. Mex., a limitedpartnership of Illinois 2 Itlflaims., (Cl. 158-91) My invention relatesto an improvement in burners for burning liquid fuels, such ashydrocarbons, and has for one purpose the provision of a-burner whichcan be turned down to a very small fire, or low draft, withoutdestroying the characteristic mode of combustion described, for example,in my prior issued Patent No. 1,702,929, issued on February 19,1929. I IAnother purpose is the provision `of means for permitting low draftsburning with such a burner, while preventing down drafts from upperportions of the combustion chamber, which would disadvantageously affectcombustion.

Another purpose is the provision of such means which are adaptable forready removal to permit easycleaning of the burner and for adjustment ofthe burner capacity.

Anotherpurpose is the provision of a burner 'for carrying on mycharacteristic combustion method which constitutes or includes aplurality of superposed burners of varying diameters.

Another purpose is the provision, in connection with one of my burners,of'a lower supplementary burner which may have the functions of 'a pilotlight for maintaining combustion during periods when a minimum heat orno heat is desired.

Another purposeis the provision of means forl l locating a lower baillesufficiently low in the burner to maintain a minimum llame as a pilotwith a minimum use of fuel.

Anotherr purpose is the provision of means for raising such lower bailleto a ylevel suiiicient to render it easy to initiate combustion, whilepermitting its ready return to turndown position.

Other purposes will appear from time to time in the course of thespecification and claims.

The present application is a division of vmy copending applicationSerial No. 124,695, filed Ti'ebruary 8, 1937.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical axial section;

Figure 2 is a. similar section of a variant form of the device. y

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specificationand drawing.

Referring to the drawing, I generally indicates an outer furnace orheater shell and 2 an inner shell. 3 is a horizontal partition secured-to the inner shell and provided with a central aperture 4. 5 is apreferably removable'baille, with a central aperture 6. 'I is acombustion chamber 55r member, herein shown as generally cylindrical,

self form part of the present invention, but it will be understood thatany suitable float chamber or the like may be employed for governing thedesired flow of fuel, for example a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, to thebottom 8. y

II is a closure member secured within the shell 2 and provided withapertures I2, which may be in a separate removable plate i3 closingthecentral aperture I4 of the member II. I'herein illustrate air inletapertures I5 in the bottom of the shell 2 and it will be understood thatany suitable means, whether by natural draft or forced draft, may beused to supply air to the space between the shells I and 2, which air iscaused to ow through the apertures I 5, upwardly through the apertures I2, and into the space between the member 'I and the shell 2. The member1 is providedI with an upper row of secondary air inlet apertures I6,herein shown as upwardly and inwardly inclined. A plurality ofpreferably smaller apertures I1 are shown arranged in rows in a lowerportion of the member `l. 'Ihe bottom row I8 is also indicated.

Positioned above the'bottom row I8 is an upwardly movable and removablering I9, herein shown as a simple annular disc conforming generally tothe inner face of the wall 1 and having a central aperture It maynormally be positioned in lowest position by permitting it to rest by.gravity upon any suitable inward projections, studs or the like, 2|.V'It desired, there may be a slight clearance of the outer edge of thebaille ring', inasmuch as I nd it advantageous to permit the certainflow of air upwardly along the inner face of the wall l. This clearancemay vary and may be as much as an eighth to a quarter of an inch ifdesired. In the form of Figure 2, in the place of the studs 2|, I mayprovide a lower portion of the chamber of reduced diameter as at 22,which is connected to the portion 1 as by a generally horizontal 'shelfor ledge 23, upon which the baille I9 may rest by gravity when in itslowermost position. I

Y.In the normal operation of the device, the characteristic combustionmethod of my Patent Number 1,702,929 may be carried on. 'The primary airsupply enters through the apertures Il and ward and through the aperture6 of the' baille 5' and there receives the secondary air supply admittedthrough the apertures I6. 'I'his produces a iinal mixture which burnsand provides the heat for the stove or furnace unit.

l Preferably, whether by natural draft or by any suitable fan or thelike, not herein shown, suificient air is admitted for maintainingcombustion at a rate sumcient' to give the desired heat. Any suitablecontrol means, thermostatic or otherwise, may be employed forcontrolling the desired heat produced.

In the event that it is desired to turn down the unit to a minimum heat,or to practically no heat, the air supply is reduced and combustion iscorrespondingly reduced. In the structure as shown in my Patent Number1,702,929, there is a limit below which the stove does not operateeiciently. For example, unless a suiiic'ient air supply and sufilcientrate' of combustion is maintained, the secondary air or-the air abovethe baille 5 tends to eddy back and circulate down into the primarycombustion zone, with the result that the balancev between the primaryand secondary zones is destroyed and my method of combustion isinterrupted, resulting in carbon deposit, and ineiiicient combustion.

I iind that the interpostion of a baille, such as the one shown hereinat I9, prevents this down draft and my primary mixing and combustion maybe carried on by means of the holes I8, and the secondary air may thenbe supplied by some or all of the holes I1. In other words, the primaryzone moves down to or is limited to the holes below the baille, baille,which previously operated as a' source of primary air, then becomes thesource of secondary air. y

When the baille I9 is atthe bottommost position in which it is shown inthe figures, the por-l tion of the chamber below thebaiiie becomes avery effective pilot light structure which employs a very small amountof iuel. The smaller the opening 20 in baille I9 the lower the minimumflamevandrthe greater the turndown. There is, however, a critical pointin the size oi the aperture taken with the position ofthe bame I9 atwhich, eventhou'gh it will satisfactorily maintain a ame after thedevice is in combustion,` it will not permit combustion to initiate.

I initially raise the baille I9. This allows an increased supply of airto enter the space below the bafiie which is important in theinitialperiod of combustion.' The size of the central hole 20, whichdetermines the minimum combustion, may be made-quite small, if means areprovided for raising the baille during the period of initiation. Forexample, if I employ a 1 0 inch burner with a. two inch hole in thebaille I8 and it is diflicult to light the burner because ofinsuillcient air in the lowest zone, I simply lift the nd the holesabove the suitable handle 42. The lower end of the chain may be securedto the baille I9 by any suitable means. I illustrate for example chainbranches -43. It will be understood that a pull on the handie 42 serves.to raise the baiile. The baille may be kept in raised position byengaging the chain ori handle by any suitable abutment mechanismgenerally indicated at 44. w

It will be realized that whereas I have described a practical andoperative device, nevertheless many'changes may be made in size, shape,number and disposition of parts. I therefore wish my drawing to be takenas 'in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic rather than aslimitirig me to the specic structure herein described and shown.

I claim:

1. A mechanism for burning liquid fuel, which includes a perforatedwalled chamber having a wall with air admission apertures the/rein,means for admitting a liquid iuel to the chamber, said chamber having anopen top, a baille normally located adjacent the bottom of the chamberbut above the lowest said apertures, said baille having an aperturetherein, the size of the aperture in relation to the form and cubiccontent of the chamber, and the height of the baille from the chamberbottom, being adapted to maintain combustionwithin the portion of thechamber below I said bafile Whencombustion has been initiated, but beinginsuiiicient to permit combustion to be initiated', means for bodilyraising said baille to -a suiiicient height to permit the initiation ofcombustion, whereby, when the baille is so raised, additional air inletapertures'are put in commu.-

4nication with the portion of the chamber below said baille, and forholding said baille iixed in adjusted position.

2. In a device for burning liquid fuels, a mixing pot having a perforatewall, a baiiie adapted ,l to divide said pot into an upper and-a lowerchamber, said baiiie being apertured to put said two -chambers intocommunication with eachother, `means for normally supporting said.baille in a lower portion of said pot, whereby the volumetric capacityof the chamber below the baille is substantially less than thevolumetric capacity of the chamber above said baille, means for bodilyraising said baille to a higher position and fv r thereby changing therelative volumetric ca ties of the two chambers,'and at the same timeplacing the space below the baffle in communication with additionalapertures, whereby the airl supply to the lower chamber is increased, aswell asits volumetric capacity, and means for iixing the baille inadjusted pitio'n.

JAMES L. BREESE.

